The Cannon-Fodder Shadow Guard in a Dragon-Apocalypse Novel

After the deaths of the two senior guards, sixteen-year-old Xuan Qi became Prince Jing Li Xuanyan's third head of the secret guard.

Li Xuanyan was suspicious and cruel toward others, but he trusted Xuan Qi completely.

Xuan Qi was a perfectly capable secret guard.

He was always there to ease the prince's burdens and keep him safe. When necessary, he was willing to die for him.

But there was one way Xuan Qi differed from the other secret guards.

He loved Li Xuanyan.

Even if he weren't the prince's secret guard, he would still be willing to do anything for him.

Li Xuanyan rarely turned his gaze toward Xuan Qi.

The prince had his sights set on the realm. An occasional word of praise or a plate of pastries was enough to make Xuan Qi happy for a long time.

As long as he could stay by the prince's side, as long as he could see him, Xuan Qi was content.

Until, in his tenth year by Li Xuanyan's side, Xuan Qi took a poisoned arrow meant for him. The poison destroyed his martial arts, and he could no longer be the prince's secret guard.

The prince gently saw how attached Xuan Qi was to the manor and asked if he wanted to remain by his side under a different title.

Xuan Qi was stunned. He knew nothing but being a secret guard. Was the prince really willing to keep him anyway?

That night, Xuan Qi passed out from the pain more times than he could count. But no matter how much it hurt, whenever the prince kissed his forehead, he would quiet down and stop struggling.

His Highness said he looked very sweet and pretty with his face flushed.

That sounded like... praise. Xuan Qi's face grew even hotter, but his heart was happy.

*

After the rebellion, Li Xuanyan ascended the throne, and His Highness became His Majesty.

His Majesty was still very busy, campaigning against the Southern Sea in the east and Loulan in the west. Without his martial arts, Xuan Qi could no longer follow him as he once had, and the days he got to see him became few and far between.

The poison Xuan Qi had suffered that year had never actually gone away. His health grew worse and worse, and the imperial physicians were helpless.

Xuan Qi had no other wish. He only wanted to see His Majesty once more before he died.

But the messenger pigeon never returned, the place where he had once been struck by an arrow hurt more with each passing day, and he was awake for less and less time.

His Majesty still hadn't come back to see him.

In a hazy dream, Xuan Qi learned that his whole life was nothing more than a story in an ordinary book.

General Lin, who had shot him, would be won over by His Majesty, help him expand his territory, and become part of a celebrated story of a ruler who trusted his ministers without doubt.

The dead secret guard was nothing more than an insignificant pawn in His Majesty's grand ambition.

His improper desire for His Majesty would vanish with his death, so His Majesty would never have to be troubled by it again.

The day His Majesty and General Lin returned victorious to the capital, the entire city was jubilant, with people lining the streets to welcome them.

The two rode side by side, exactly as the story in Xuan Qi's dream had described.

Amid the deafening gongs and drums, Xuan Qi died alone and unnoticed on a day of national celebration.

The story said that His Majesty was the protagonist, so everyone would respect and love him, help him rise to power, and be willing to die for him.

But that wasn't true.

Xuan Qi was willing to die for His Majesty because he loved him.

But if he got another life, he never wanted to fall in love with His Majesty again.

*

When Xuan Qi opened his eyes again, he woke in an unfamiliar palace.

Li Xuanyan had him held in his arms. Before Xuan Qi could say anything, he fed him some strange-tasting medicine.

Xuan Qi said he didn't love His Majesty anymore, and that if His Majesty felt even a little gratitude for all his hard work, he should let him go.

But Li Xuanyan only looked at him and said he was delirious with fever. He gripped Xuan Qi's chin and passed the medicine into his mouth with his own.

His Majesty's lips and tongue were warm. When he kissed Xuan Qi, he held him tightly in his arms.

It was as though Xuan Qi were no longer a cheap, disposable secret guard, but some priceless treasure.

"Be good. Don't say foolish things."

"I will make you my empress, and I will love only you for the rest of my life."

Theme: Cherish the one before you.